Oskar Blues Aims For National Distribution by Early 2016

Chris Furnari

Oct. 23, 2015 at 2:07 PM

Oskar Blues is now nearly national. The Colorado-headquartered craft brewery today announced expanded distribution in Mississippi and Utah, bringing the total number of states where it sells beer to 46.

The company has signed with four distributors in Mississippi — Clark Beverage Group, Stokes Distributing Company, Capital City Beverage and FEB Distributing — and M&M Distributing (part of Admiral Beverage) in Utah.

Launch events for both markets are planned throughout November and December, the company said in a press statement.

Oskar Blues has entered nine new states this year and plans to fill out its national footprint, including North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma and Montana, in the first half of 2016, it said.

Mississippi and Utah mark the eighth and ninth new states Oskar Blues has entered this year, capping a busy 2015 for the fast-growing company.

In August, Oskar Blues said company-wide depletions were up 28 percent and the company is currently on pace to produce upwards of 200,000 barrels this year.

Additional details about the new market launches can be found in the press release below.

Longmont, CO & Brevard, NC –– Oskar Blues Brewery is pleased to announce that it continues its strong push into new territories in 2015 with the launch of Mississippi and Utah in November and December. These two states bring the total number of new markets launched in this calendar year to nine new states plus completion of the full footprint in Illinois. The new markets bring the total US distribution to 46 states and put the brewery well on the way to becoming a nationally distributed craft beer brand.

The brewery has partnered with four family-owned distributors in Mississippi that consist of Clark Beverage Group, Inc., Stokes Distributing Company, Capital City Beverage Company and FEB Distributing, Inc. Given the brewery’s deep roots in the south of the US and connection to the blues tradition, the Magnolia State will be a great fit for Oskar Blues and the brands will be right at home in the Mississippi Delta.

Oskar Blues will begin shipping cans and draft to Mississippi in early November out of the Brevard brewery and the beer will start hitting accounts the week of November 16. The brewery will lead with Dale’s Pale Ale in both 12 oz. and 19.2 oz. can packages as well as draft in all markets across the state. Additional can offerings of the brewery’s core brands, Pinner Throwback IPA, Mama’s Little Yella Pils, Oskar Blues IPA, and Old Chub Scotch Ale as well as the Canundrum Variety 12-pack, will be immediately available.

There will be a full draft launch and additional seasonal and limited releases that will become available in the months to come. Launch events and a crew drive with several members of the Oskar Blues team will be held across the state during the week of December 7.

Oskar Blues has partnered with M&M Distributing (part of the Admiral Beverage) in the state of Utah and will be distributed statewide before the end of 2015. As a neighboring state to the brewery’s home state of Colorado and a destination filled with endless recreational opportunities, Oskar Blues’ craft canned beers will be a great addition to the outdoor-centric market where bikers, hikers, riders and skiers will be able to down a Dale’s Pale Ale or Pinner Throwback IPA after a long, active day.

Oskar Blues offerings will be fairly limited and only in cans to start in the state due to the entire portfolio being over 4% AB. The brewery is looking to expand its offerings in the state in the near future. The official launch of the brand is still being finalized and release dates will be announced soon.

Oskar Blues plans to complete its US footprint within in the first half of 2016 with the additions of North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma and Montana. Additionally, the brewery will continue to explore additional export markets beyond the current international markets of Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom and Canada and will look to strategically expand in markets that present the right fit and the right opportunities for solid growth.

About Oskar Blues Brewery

Founded by Dale Katechis in 1997 in Lyons, Colorado, Oskar Blues Brewery launched the craft beer-in-a-can apocalypse with hand-canned, flagship brew Dale’s Pale Ale. Today, Oskar Blues is one of the fastest growing independent breweries in the country and operates breweries in Longmont, Colorado and Brevard, North Carolina, producing more than 150,000 barrels in 2015. The original canned craft brewery currently distributes to 44 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., as well as parts of Canada, Sweden, and the U.K.

In 2013, Oskar Blues founded the CAN’d Aid Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity that is all about diggin’ in and makin’ a difference where we CAN. Its “do-goodery” is focused on:

Founded as a brewpub by Dale Katechis in 1997, Oskar Blues Brewery launched the craft beer-in-a-can apocalypse in 2002 using a tabletop machine that sealed one can at a time. In 2008, the makers of th...